Move follows sustained campaign by English Language Teachers organised in Unite

December 2nd: Unite, which represents English Language Teachers throughout Ireland, today welcomed the Government’s decision to implement a Labour Court recommendation and establish a Joint Labour Committee governing the English language education sector.  The move follows a sustained campaign by English Language Teachers themselves working through their union, Unite, and comes on foot of several high-profile college closures and concerns about the sustainability of a sector characterised by poor working conditions.

Commenting, Unite Regional Officer Brendan Byrne said:

“Since 2017, Unite members working in the ELT sector have been highlighting a range of issues from low pay to precarious contracts.  In January of this year, that sustained campaign, as well as publicity surrounding the closure of Grafton College, led the Minister to appoint former ASTI general secretary Pat King as a mediator to explore the scope for setting minimum employment standards in the sector, and in July Mr King recommended the establishment of a Joint Labour Committee – a recommendation which was endorsed by the Labour Court and has today been implemented by the Government.

“Now, Unite looks forward to engaging within the framework of the JLC process to improve the terms and conditions of our members in the sector, and ensure that Ireland’s reputation as a quality learning destination for international students is not undermined by poor employment practices”, Brendan Byrne concluded.